Modelling Host-Parasite Coevolution in Continuous Space
Coevolution can lead to
spatial mosaics of phenotypic and genomic diversity
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Two projects
focused on disentangling spatial patterns due to
coevolution, limited dispersal and drift
Goals
- Approximate spatial scales of phenotypic turnover and coadaptation
- Introduce measures of local adaptation for continuously distributed populations
- Use results to determine which species is locally adapted
- As function of relative dispersal abilities and strengths of selection
- Test accuracy of math using simulations (not slim)
- Benefit: allows us to relax key model assumptions
- Cost: mapping simulation parameters to math parameters is hard
- e.g. no such thing as interaction radius in math model
The model
- Tracks (co)evolution of mean traits across 2D habitat
- Drift captured by Gaussian noise in mean trait evolution
- Dispersal is Gaussian in both species
- Single trait mediates interaction/coevolution
- Trait matching/mismatching
Key assumptions
(to be relaxed)
- Spatially homogeneous:
- abundance densities
- additive genetic and phenotypic variances
- Weak coevolutionary selection